Fluorination of unsaturated steroids

ABSTRACT

Electrophilic addition of fluorine to carbon-carbon multiple bonds which comprises reacting various unsaturated organic compounds in the liquid phase at low temperature with hypofluorites in which the fluoroxy group is covalently bonded to an inert electron-attracting group. A typical example of such a hypofluorite is trifluoromethyl hypofluorite. The reaction is generally applicable to a wide variety of aliphatic and aromatic organic compounds containing carbon-carbon multiple bonds.

United States Patent Barton et al.

FLUORINATION 0F UNSATURATED STEROIDS Filed: March 21, 1969 Appl. No.: 809,389

Related US. Application Data Continuation-impart of Ser. No. 667,000, Sept. 11, 1967, abandoned, and a continuation-inpart of Ser. No. 736,293, June 12, 1968, abandoned.

US. Cl 260/239.55 A,

[ 1 Aug. 29, 1972 Primary Examiner-Elbert L. Roberts Attorney-Bacon & Thomas [57] ABSTRACT Electrophilic addition of fluorine to carbon-carbon multiple bonds which comprises reacting various unsaturated organic compounds in the liquid phase at low temperature with hypofluorites in which the fluoroxy group is covalently bonded to an inert electron-attracting group. A typical example of such a hypofluorite is trifluoromethyl hypofluorite. The reaction is generally applicable to a wide variety of V aliphatic and aromatic organic compounds containing i carbon-carbon multiple bonds.

8 Claims, No Drawings FLUORINATION OF UNSATURATED STEROIDS This application is a continuation-in-part of our applications Ser. No. 667,000 filed Sept. 11, 1967 and Ser. No. 736,293 filed June 12, 1968 both now abandoned.

This invention relates to a novel process for the introduction of fluorine into organic compounds.

The introduction of fluorine into organic structures is known to give valuable results in many fields. In the important field of steroids, introduction of fluorine, for example in the 9- or 6- positions has been found to enhance physiological activity and in general the fact that fluorine and hydrogen are similar in size but very different in electronegativity, means that replacement of hydrogen by fluorine will produce changed or potentiated biological activity.

Although methods have long been known and used for the controlled introduction of the halogens chlorine, bromine and iodine into unsaturated organic compounds, the introduction of fluorine has always proved difficult. Thus, although chlorine and bromine add readily to carbon-carbon double bonds, elemental fluorine usually reacts too indiscriminately and more complex reagents which have been proposed have been found frequently to be unsuccessful or inconvenient.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a convenient method for the addition of fluorine to unsaturated organic compounds.

We have found that hypofluorites in which the fluoroxy group is covalently bonded to an inert electron attracting group e.g. such organic hypofluorites as fluoroalkyl hypofluorites, or such inorganic hypofluorites such as pentafluorosulphur hypofluorites, react smoothly at low temperatures with unsaturated organic compounds to add at least one fluorine atom to the unsaturated linkage thereof. The mode of addition of the fluorine follows the rules generally obeyed by the other halogens in reacting with unsaturated compounds and the position of the carbon atom which receives the fluorine will depend, usually, upon the adjacent groupings. In general, a second substituent will be introduced at the same time or else internal rearrangement will take place.

According to the present invention, therefore, we provide a process for fluorinating unsaturated organic compounds wherein the unsaturated organic compound is reacted with a hypofluorite, the fluoroxy group of which is covalently bonded to an inert electron attracting group.

As indicated above, the hypofluorite may be organic or inorganic; in general the electron attracting group is preferably a fluoroalkyl group or a fluorosulphur group. Fluoro alkyl groups may carry hydrogen atoms or other halogen atoms but preferably carry at least two fluorine atoms per carbon atom, as, for example, in trifluoromethyl, perfluoropropyl, perfluoroisopropyl, perfluoro-t-butyl, monochloro-hexafluoropropyl or perfluoro-t-pentyl groups. The reagent may carry two fluoroxy groups as in l,2-difluoroxy-tetrafluoroethane or l,l-difluoroxy difluoro methane. The fluorosulphur group is preferably the pentafluorosulphur group.

The preferred reagent is trifluoromethyl hypofluorite.

The reaction is preferably carried out at reduced temperature e.g. in the range to 100C, conveniently at about 78C. On the other hand, deactivated substrates such as diphenylacetylene or bis-pchlorophenyl-2,2-dichloroethylene react slowly at low temperatures but cleanly and rapidly at 20C to room temperature.

An inert solvent is preferably used, advantageously a fluoroalkane such as trichloromonofluoro-methane, dichlorotetrafluoroethane etc. The unsaturated organic compound to be fluorinated may be relatively insoluble in such a solvent and a further solvent may be advantageous, e.g. a chlorohydrocarbon such as carbon tetrachloride or methylene dichloride, a ketone such as acetone or methyl ethyl ketone or a cyclic or acyclic ether such as diethyl ether, tetrahydrofuran or dioxan or an alcohol such as methanol.

In many cases, acid is liberated in the reaction and addition of a base is often convenient, particularly where the substrate is acid-sensitive, and inorganic bases such as magnesium oxide, calcium oxide, sodium fluoride etc. are particularly effective bases. If temperatures above about l0C are used, however, these bases should be omitted where possible since they decompose the hypofluorite at such temperatures. Dried and activated molecular sieve material may also be used to take up unwanted acid.

Where the fluorinating reagent is a volatile liquid, as in the case of trifluoromethyl hypofluorite, it may conveniently be passed into the reaction solution in gaseous form rather than in liquid form. Nitrogen may be used, if desired, to dilute the gas and to sweep the medium free from excess reagent. The reaction may also be carried out under reduced pressure and the reagent distilled into the low-temperature medium. Alternatively, since hypofluorites can be stored as fairly stable concentrated solutions in fluorotrichloromethane such a solution of hypofluorite may be added to a solution of substrate in an acceptable solvent.

The hypofluorite reagent may be produced by reaction of elemental fluorine on certain oxygenated carbon-derivatives such as alcohols or carbon monoxide (in the presence of a silver fluoride catalyst). Perfluorinated carbonyl derivatives react with fluorine in the presence of a metal fluoride catalyst, preferably caesium fluoride, and for example, carbonyl difluoride yields trifluoromethoxy hypofluorite, perfluoroacyl fluorides such as perfluoroacetyl fluoride yield the corresponding perfluoroalkyl hypofluorite while perfluoroketones such as hexafluoroacetone yield the corresponding secondary perfluoroalkyl hypofluorites. Carbon monoxide yields trifluoromethoxy hypofluorite and methanol yields the same reagent. Other alcohols, e.g., perfluoro-t-butyl alcohol yield the corresponding hypofluorite also in the absence of a catalyst.

The conventional methods described above normally use a stoichiometric amount of fluorine or a moderate excess in order to minimize formation of partiallyreacted by-products such as perfluorocarbonyl compounds, bis-perfluoroperoxides, bis-perfluorotrixodes and oligomers of perfluorocarbonyl compounds. Perfluorohydrocarbons are also commonly present. The use of excess fluorine reduces the yield of the above by products but the removal of residual fluorine by, for example, distillation, is troublesome. Naturally, elemental fluorine which reacts indiscriminately in fluorination reactions, cannot be allowed to remain in the reagent and, indeed, the presence of fluorine in the hypofluorite renders it susceptible to explosive decomposition.

We have now found that the desired hypofluorite reagents can be obtained in a satisfactory form by using less than the stoichiometric amount of fluorine so that virtually no unreacted fluorine remains after reaction. Although the yield is reduced and, in particular, the proportion of partially reacted impurities is increased, the initial reaction products can be effectively purified by simply washing the mixture with an aqueous medium, for example, water or an aqueous solution of a fluoride salt, for example, an alkali metal fluoride, e.g. sodium, potassium or caesium fluoride. The hypofluorite will commonly be in gaseous form, in which case the gas may be simply passed through the aqueous medium. Any water taken up by the hypofluorite during this washing step can readily be removed, where the hypofluorite is a gas, simply by passing the mixture through a low-temperature trap held, for example, at 80 to 20C.

It is surprising that this simple and inexpensive procedure is capable of producing a hypofluorite reagent which can be used directly in the fluorination reaction according to the present invention. All reactive impurities appear to be removed and although certain impurities do remain, notably fluorocarbons and bis-fluorocarbon peroxides, they do not appear to enter into reaction with the unsaturated substrates to be fluorinated. It will be appreciated that bis-hydrocarbon peroxides, would be expected to react with typical unsaturated substrates and it is particularly surprising, therefore, that bis-fluorocarbon peroxides are unreactive, even at relatively high concentrations.

The foregoing method for the production of the hypofluorite reagent has the merit of being readily adaptable to large scale operation and, in particular, to continuous operation. The hypofluorite reagents are subject to catalytic decomposition on storage in the condensed state and the large scale storage of these material is preferably avoided. It is thus particularly desirable to be able to produce the reagent at the site of the fluorination process by a simple procedure and to lead the hypofluorite to the reactor without storage in the condensed state.

Thus, for example, a stream of fluorine and the oxygenated carbon derivative may be led into a reactor containing an appropriate catalyst and the effluent gaseous stream passed through water or an aqueous fluoride solution, if desired moving countercurrently to avoid accumultation of impurities, and then through a low temperature water trap. The continuously produced hypofluorite may be led directly to the reaction vessel for the fluorination reaction which may again be effected continuously with continuous removal of product from the reaction vessel. Alternatively, the reagent can be fed to a series of batch reactors. ln many cases, excess gaseous hypofluorite and other unwanted volatiles can be subsequently removed by flushing through the initial fluorination product with an inert gas such as nitrogen, conveniently countercurrently.

While we do not wish to be bound by theoretical considerations, it is believed that in the hypofluorite, which may be represented as ROF, where R represents an inert electron attracting group, the group R withdraws electrons from the fluoroxy group to produce a partial positive charge on the fluorine atom. This is followed by nucleoelectrophilic attack on the ll-electrons of the unsaturated bond in the organic compound to be fluorinated in the same way as attack by the positive chlorine or bromine in more conventional halogenating agents, and results in a positively charged intermediate which may react with anionic material such as the R0 moiety or possibly eliminate H from an adjacent position whereby a new unsaturated linkage may be formed.

The reaction may be represented generally in the following way:

where R, R R and R represent possible ligands attached to the reacting vinyl group. It will be noted that the fluorine atom adds at the more electronegative or nucleophilic carbon atom of the double bond to leave a full positive charge on the other carbon atom. The mode of addition is almost invariably cis.

The double bond may, of course, be present in both simple aliphatic structures and also in both aromatic and non'aromatic cyclic structures. The ligands R, R, R and R may therefore be, for example, hydrogen atoms, aliphatic groups such as alkyl or alkenyl groups e.g. having up to 18 carbon atoms, for example methyl, propyl, decyl, stearyl, allyl or oleyl groups; aromatic groups such as phenylor naphthyl groups; saturated or unsaturated heterocyclic groups such as pyridyl, piperidyl, morpholinyl or piperazyl groups; 0- or N- aliphatic, araliphatic or aromatic groups; R and R may join to form part of a mono or polycyclic ring structure, e.g. a steroid, a grisan such as griseofulvin, a phenyl group or a naphthyl group; or R and R may represent a carbon-carbon bond as in the acetylenes, the overall requirement being that there is a partial negative charge at the carbon atom adjacent to the ligands R and R or that such a partial negative charge is produced by proximity to the hypofluorite reagent.

In general the reaction will proceed more smoothly when the polarization of the double bond is most pronounced. R may thus advantageously be an electronegative grouping such as an oxygen a nitrogen function, e.g. an O-acyl or N-acyl, O or N-alkyl, aralkyl or aryl substituent, for example an acetoxy, benzoxy, acetamido, benzamido, alkoxy or monoor di-alkyl amino group. The nitrogen atom may form part of a heterocyclic ring e.g. a pyrrolidine or piperidine ring. The 0- and N-acyl derivatives may, for example, be aliphatic, araliphatic or aromatic acyl derivatives, e.g. acetyl, propionyl, phenylacetyl or benzoyl derivatives. The corresponding 0- and N-alkyl, aralkyl or aryl derivatives may, for example, be methyl, ethyl, propyl, butyl, amyl, benzyl, phenethyl or phenyl derivatives. R may also be an aliphatic grouping in which a second vinyl group is in conjugation with the reacting double bond and such an electronegative substituent as in dienamines and dienolethers. In such circumstances as explained below in detail, the partial negative and positive charges may reside on either of the two vinyl groups depending on the substituents present.

R may for example, advantageously be an aliphatic group carrying an electronegative substituent which is preferably capable of releasing electrons, for example, an oxygen or nitrogen function as defined for R or an oxo group or a halogen atom.

The ligands R R, R and R may carry Substituents, for example halogen atoms, e.g. fluorine, chlorine, bromine, or iodine atoms, monoor polycyclic aromatic or heterocyclic groups, which may themselves be substituted, hydroxyl O-acyl, O-aliphatic, oxo, amino, N-acyl or N-aliphatic groups, again provided that a partial negative charge resides on the carbon atom adjacent to R and R The ligand R where it is an oxygen or nitrogen function may, for example, form part of a heterocyclic ring containing the reacting double bond as in such compounds as 2,3-benzofuran and glycals.

The overall course of the reaction and the nature of the final products depends upon the nature of the ligands R R R and R. In general, the reaction will follow the same course as when conventional halogenating reagents are used for introducing chlorine or bromine.

A number of embodiments of the process according to the invention are now described in greater detail.

1. Where the ligands R and/or R while being electronegative, are able to donate electrons, the intermediate cation II is sufficiently stable to capture an anion without eliminating any substituent atoms or groups. The captured anion will most frequently be RO- but where other anions are present these will compete with R to form mixtures. Where R is a fluorinated hydrocarbon group such as a trifluoromethyl group, the anion R0 is capable of dissociating to eliminate F. The fluorine anion may then compete with the CF 0 for the positive site of the cation II. This tendency is much less in the case of secondary hypofluorites; for instance, perfluoroisopropyl hypofluorite or tertiary hypofluorites; for instance, perfluorotertiaryamyl hypofluorite.

In this type of reaction, one of the ligands R and R may, for example, be a substituted amino or substituted hydroxyl group, for example a monoor di-alkylamino or acylamino group or alkoxy or acyloxy group, as in enol ethers and esters and enamines, or an aromatic group such as phenyl or substituted phenyl group.

The donation of electrons by R and/0r R will also facilitate elimination of the atom or group constituted by the added anion, by subsequent hydrolytic treatment. Thus, for example, in the case where R and/or R is an O-acyl, O-aliphatic, N-acyl or N-aliphatic group, elimination takes place very readily, accompanied by hydrolysis of the O- or N-substituent to yield a-fluoro-ketone.

The overall reaction can be expressed as follows:

' Thus, for example, Sfi-acetoxy fi -cholestene reacts with CF OF to give 2a-fluoro-3e-acetoxy-3etrifluoromethoxy-5-cholestane in admixture with 20:, 3e-difluoro-3e-acetoxy-5-cholestane. On hydrolysis with sodium hydroxide these both give Zia-fluorocholesterone. Similarly, bis-p-chlorophenyl-2,2- dichloro ethylene yields a mixture of the 2-fluoro-ltrifluoromethoxy adduct and the l,2-difluoroaduct thereof (both of which compounds are important insecticides).

Where R is an aromatic group, the elimination reaction is more difficult but can normally be effected by treatment of the adduct with an alkaline substance such as an alkali metal hydroxide or alkoxide, in an alcoholic medium.

As indicated above, the reaction follows a closely similar course if R represents an allylic group carrying an electron-donating, electronegative group in conjugation with the two double bonds. This arrangement introduces the complication, however, that addition may take place at either or both of the vinyl groupings which are present, depending in part on the nature of the various substituents which are present. In the case, of dienamines and dienamides, where electron donation is particularly strong, the a-position is the most reactive so that, in effect, these species may actually be regarded as compounds of formula I in which R is N- aliphatic or N-acyl while R or R is an allylic group. On the other hand, in the case of dienol acylates, where electron donation is much weaker, the y-position is I most negative; so that these species can be regarded as compounds of formula I in which R is an allylic grouping carrying a conjugated acyloxy group. Substituents which donate electrons to an intermediate extent, such as dienol ethers, will often react at both the aand the 'y-position to give mixtures.

Considering the steroids, by way of illustration, in the Son-steroid series, A -enol esters, ethers, or enamines can be converted to 2a-fluoro steroids. In the SB-steroid series, A -enol esters, ethers or enamines may be converted to 4a-fluoro-steroids. A -enol esters are converted to l7-fluoro-20-keto compounds. A -enol esters are converted to 2l-fluoro-20-keto compounds. A -enol esters are converted to 9a-fluoro and 9,12- difluoro-l l-keto compounds. A -enol esters may be converted into l6-fluoro-l7-keto compounds. A enol esters derived from l5-keto compounds are converted to 14-fluorol S-keto compounds.

A -dienol and A -trienol esters are converted to 601- and B-fluoro-A -3-keto compounds; A -enamines are converted to 4-fluoro-A -3-keto compounds. The A -A -enol esters derived from A -l2-keto compounds are convertible to 8-fluoro-A -12 keto compounds. A- -A" -dienol esters derived from A l7-keto compounds may be converted to the corresponding 14-fluoro-A -l7-keto compound. A trienol esters may be converted to the corresponding 6B-fluoro-A -compound.

The compounds in which R or R is an ether group (enol. ethers), may, in fact, be cyclic in structure, form- Treatment with a strong base, e. g. trityl lithium or sodium hydride, will eliminate the OR or F from the l-position to yield a 2-fluoro-glycal which may be used as a glycosylating agent for the formation of fluorinated glycosides in synthetic organic chemistry. The l-OR derivatives initially formed also serve as glycosylating agents, reacting readily with nucleophiles such as alcohols and amines. Thus, for example, reaction with methanol yields the methyl glycoside.

2. Where one or both of R and R is hydrogen or R is a substituent joined to the reacting double bond by CH-, elimination of hydrogen may take place from the carbonium ion ll, before an anionic species such as RO' can be captured. in this case, a double bond will be spontaneously regenerated and the reaction may be represented as F \OR (or F) vnr In each of these cases, if the resulting double bond is still activated it may react with a further molecule of ROF in the previously described way to yield a difluorinated or even trifluorinated product.

The elimination of the hydrogen atom will be facilitated by steric hindrance which inhibits the addition of anionic species but will itself be inhibited by electron donation by R so that this reaction is more frequently observed when R is a weakly electron donating group such as an acyloxy or ether group, or hydrogen or a non-activating grouping. Thus, for example, 9 (ll)-ene-1 l-yl esters of SB-steroids yields initially a 9afluoro carbonium ion having a positive charge at the l l-position; subsequent elimination of H from the l2-position (which represents the grouping R yields an ll,l2-double bond which reacts with a further molecule of ROF to give finally a 9,12-difulorol l-one. The tendency to eliminate a hydrogen is often greater in the case of bulky hypofluorites; thus, the secondary hypofluorite perfluoroisopropyl hypofluorite gives more elimination than does CF OF. The tertiary hypofluorite, perfluorotertiaryamyl hypofluorite gives still more elimination of hydrogen.

Similarly, in the case of B'y-unsaturated ketones, elimination of hydrogen from the a-position of the carbonium ion initially formed yields a y-fluoro-a-fi-unsaturated ketone.

Considering the steroids by way of illustration, this sequence provides a route to a number of fluoro steroids. A --3-keto compounds may be converted to 10- fluoro-A-3-keto compounds in the l9-nor series. A -3 -keto compounds may be converted to 6-fluoro- A-3- keto compounds.

Some olefinic substrates give rise to both elimination and addition. Stilbene, thus for instance gives a major product 1 ,2-diphenyl-1-fluoro-2-trifluoromethoxyethane together with smaller amounts of 1,2-diphenyl- 1,2-difluoroethane. These products arise, of course, from the capture by the intermediate fiuoro carbonium ion of R0 and F respectively. Careful analysis of the product mixture indicates that small amounts of 1,2-difuloro-l ,2-diphenyll -trifluoromethoxy-ethane are also present. This arises from the addition of F and R0 to an intermediate fluoro stilbene which itself arises in turn from the elimination of H from the intermediate fluoro carbonium ion [I described above.

As indicated above an R0 residue such as OCF may readily be eliminated, e.g., on treatment with acid or alkali, to regenerate an unsaturated linkage and the ease of elimination of the RO moiety will in general depend on the adjacent substituents. Where the group R0 is attached to a carbon atom having an electron-donating atom such as oxygen or nitrogen, or is in the ,B-position relative to an unsaturated grouping such as carbonyl, it may be eliminated by treatment with acids or bases under mild conditions, or by pyrolysis or even spontaneously. If R0 is attached to a carbon atom carrying an ether or amine group, elimination may often be effected simply by shaking with a mild alkali such as an alkali metal bicarbonate. Where the electron donating group is an acyloxy group, R0 attachment is more stable but for example, RO can he usually eliminated by heating with alkali metal bicarbonate, e.g. in alkanol such as methanol or ethanol, or by room temperature treatment with stronger alkali such as 1 percent alkali metal hydroxide in an alkanol solvent, or treatment with acid such as hydrochloric or hydrobromic acid in solvent media such as halogenated hydrocarbons containing if desired, carboxylic acids such as acetic acid and/or alkanols such as ethanol. Where a second fluorine atom has added in competition with R0, this can usually be eliminated by treatment with acid or alkali in the same way as R0 and, for example, 3-acetoxy-20-keto-pregn-5-ene on reaction with CF OF yields a mixture of 3B-actoxy-20-keto-5-trifluoromethoxy- 6afluoro-pregnane and the corresponding 501,63- difluoride both of which can be converted to 3-ketoderivatives on treatment with alkali or acid yield 6afluoroprogesterone.

3. Where one or both of R and R is joined to the reacting double bond by a carbon atom linked to an ele'ctronegative, electron-releasing atom or group, for example, an oxygen or nitrogen function such as an O- or N-acyl, -aliphatic, -araliphatic or aromatic group or an 0x0 or halogen substituent, more especially a hydroxyl or oxo group, a smooth reaction takes place as follows, as illustrated by an a,B-unsaturated ketone:

R G) 6 (1- R 0 0 6/ ROF R R R R XVIII XVIII Where there is an adjacent eliminatable hydrogen, ROH may be eliminated; a mixture of the initial adduct (a-fluoro-B-OR-aldehyde or ketone) and the elimination product (a-fluoro -a,B-unsaturated aldehyde or ketone) is usually obtained initially but the elimination can be completed by treatment with acid or alkali. Thus, for example, testosterone acetate yields, after hydrolysis, 4-fluoro-testosterone.

Where R or R carries a hydroxyl or acyloxy group rather than an oxo group, the initial product will be the corresponding a-fluoro-B-OR-alcohol or ester. Hydrolysis of the acyloxy group, where necessary, and oxidation and elimination of OR yields an a-fluoro-a,B-unsaturated aldehyde or ketone. Thus, for example, A lZ-hydroxy or acyloxy-steroids yield ll-fluoro-9-OR- l2-hydroxy or acyloxy steroids while 3/3-acyloxy-A steroids yield initially 4-fluoro-5-OR-3B-acyloxy-steroids.

4. Where R is electronegative but R is a substituent carrying a nucleophilic group, e.g. an oxygen or nitrogen function, such as hydroxyl or amino group, the nucleophilic group will react with the positively charged carbon atom in the initial product of formula II to give a ring structure, such as an epoxide, aziridine, furan, pyran, pyrrolidine or piperidine.

Thus, for example, addition of ROF to l6-methylene prednisone 2l-acetate yields the corresponding 16B- fluoromethyl-l6,l7-epoxy compound by initial addition of F to the methyl groupfollowed by elimination of hydrogen from the 17a-hydroxy group to form a 16,17- epoxide.

5. Where R is joined to the reacting double bond by a carbon atom carrying a weakly nucleophilic group such as a carbon nucleophile or halogen, this group will be attracted by the positive charge as in 4 above but migration rather than ring formation takes place to yield a rearranged isomer of the carbonium ion II which may then eliminate hydrogen or capture an anion as described above.

R re 9 R2 R3 R2 \a 5/ ROF 11 T F o R1 PHC\ I R1 X,

XX XXI R3 R2 C 1 B1 R3 R? H+ XXIII H630 R1 XXII F C X RI R X IV (where X represents the aforesaid weakly nucleophilic grouping).

Where the carbonium anion is stabilized, e.g. by electron donation by R, the capture of R0 will predominate. By way of illustration, addition of ROF to A -progesterone bismethylene dioxide yields the corresponding 1 la-fluoro-9B-methyl-3-hydroxyl ,3 ,5 (l0)-triene, F adding initially at the l l-position and the positive charge at the 9-position causing migration of the lO-methyl group to the 9aposition and elimination of hydrogen from the 1-position to create a phenolic A- rmg.

6. Where R and R join to form an aromatic ring structure (so that the reacting double bond is actually an aromatic double bond) the initial addition of F is at the most nucleophilic position as is found with more conventional halogenating agents.

In general the reaction will proceed better with aromatic ring compounds, e.g. benzene derivatives, carrying one or more electron releasing substituents such as hydroxyl, ether, acylamido groups etc., than those carrying electron-withdrawing groups such as nitro groups, which react only slowly. Other aromatic ring structures which may be fluorinated include, for example, condensed polycyclic, carbocyclic aromatic compounds, for instance naphthalenes and substituted naphthalenes, anthracenes and substituted anthracenes, phenanthrenes, and acenaphthenes. Hetero-cyclic aromatic compounds are also suitable starting materials for the purposes of this invention. Such hereto-cycles may be monocyclic or polycyclic and bear one or more hetero-atoms such as oxygen, nitrogen or sulphur, for instance, furans, pyrroles, and thiophenes, benzfurans, indoles and benzthiophenes, pyrimidines and imidazoles.

Aromatic rings activated by electron-releasing substituents will be fluorinated in the ortho or para position to the activating groups by hypofluorite reagents. Similarly, rings somewhat deactivated by electronwithdrawing substituents will be fluorinated in a portion meta to such substituents and a prediction as to whether ortho, para or meta fluorination will result from reaction with a hypofluorite can be made on the basis of the conventional chemistry. Thus, those activated aromatics which tend to react in the ortho position with bromine, chlorine and nitric acid will usually react in the ortho position with a hypofluorite; the same holds true for para substitution. We have noticed that the tendency of hypofluorites to add rather than substitute at aromatic double bonds is somewhat greater than that observed for bromine but is markedly less than that observed for fluorine. Addition to an aromatic double bond versus substitution appears to be favored in those aromatic compounds which are activated and thus extremely reactive. This again is in keeping with what is known regarding conventional electrophilic agents. The adducts of hypofluorites with aromatic compounds like those with activated olefins are subsceptible to ready hydrolysis. In the case of adducts of activated aromatics, acid or alkaline hydrolysis produces fluorinated aromatic compounds.

The reaction of ROF with a ring-activated aromatic compound is illustrated by the following equation:

(where ,R X represents an activating group such as hydroxyl, O-acyl, O-aliphatic group). The carbonium ion initially formed may either capture a nucleophile such as R or rearrange in the neighborhood of the activating group, usually with elimination from the activating group to allow a dienone or dienimine structure. Where a nucleophile is captured, as shown in the above equation, the product contains an activated vinyl group capable of reacting further with ROF, to form a bis-fluorinated adduct. Naturally, if this further reaction is to take place it must proceed more rapidly than the elimination of RO- from compound XXIX (followed by rearrangement to form dienone or dienimine) shown in the above equation. Where the initial product is highly activated, the second addition of ROF will be rapid and for example, in the case of N-acetyl anaphthylamine, the initial product IIIHac XXX is a highly reactive enamine which rapidly adds F and a further anionic species. Where the reaction was carried out in the presence of ethanol, F and C H O added. Subsequent treatment with a base eliminates the nucleophile groupings from the aand 'y-carbon atoms to yield N-acetyl-2,4-difluoronaphthalene. On the other hand, N-acetyl-B-naphthylamine simply adds F at the a-position and an anionic species at the B-position which on subsequent elimination of RO gives N- acetyla-fluoro-B-naphthylamine.

Where elimination of RO is slow, so that rearrangement to a dienone or dienimine species does not occur immediately, as in the reaction of ROF with naphthalene, the initial product will react with a second molecule of ROF before elimination takes place to give a bis-adduct which on treatment with a base will yield 0:,y-difluoro-naphthalene. In fact, where the reagent is CF OF, competition of F with R0 gives as initial product a high proportion of l,2,3,4-tetrafluorol ,2,3 ,4-tetrahydronaphthalene.

Where rearrangement to a dienone or dienimine structure does take place, the nature of the final product depends on the possibility of further rearrangement. If the ligand adjacent to the fluorine atom (R in formula ll) is hydrogen, the diene structure can rearrange tautomerically to an aromatic structure as follows:

On the other hand, where R is a non-eliminatable substituent such as an alkyl group, or forms part of a cyclic structure, the dienone or dienimine form will be the final product. Thus, for example, 2,6- dimethylphenol yields 2,6-dimethyl-fluorocyclohexa- 2,4-dienone (in dimeric form) while oestrone methyl ether yields l9-norl OB-fluoro-S, l 7-diketo-androstal,4-diene.

Where R is hydrogen but the activating group R-"X does not readily eliminate R, R may be eliminated to regenerate an aromatic ring.

XXXV xxxvr Thus griseofulvin reacts with ROF to form the 5- fluoroderivative thereof.

7. Where R and R together represent a carbon-carbon bond, as in the acetylenes, the reagent ROF appears to react first to produce an olefin which, however, will normally react further to add further F and either R0 or F. The acetylenic linkage can be regarded as deactivated sothat the initial olefin reacts more rapidly than the acetylene and cannot readily be detected. In the case of 1,2-diphenylacetylene, the product is l ,Z-diphenyl-1,1,2-trifluoro-2- trifluoromethoxyethane.

The new reagents are thus capable of introducing fluorine into a wide variety of commonly occurring unsaturated organic groupings and furthermore, do not react with hydrocarbon, keto, ether, ester or alcohol groups which may be present. As compared with the previously proposed fluorinating agent perchloryl fluoride, they react more readily with relatively inactivated unsaturated compounds, e.g. enol esters, and do not produce the chlorinated by-products which are frequently produced by ClO .F. The latter reagent will not, in fact, react at all with unactivated olefins or deactivated olefins such as a,B-unsaturated ketones. It should also be mentioned that ClO .F represents an explosive hazard whereas this is not the case with the hypofluorites.

Although the principal forms of the present method have been illustrated with reference to the steroids, it will be appreciated that the invention is applicable to a wide range of organic compounds. Apart from steroids, other cyclic compounds such as the alkaloids and simple acyclic olefins can all be fluorinated by the present method.

Where unsaturated steroids are used as starting material, these may, for example, be in the androstane, pregnane, oestrane, cholestane or spirostane series. In view of the selectivity of the new reagents, keto groups may be present, for example, in the 3-, 1 1-, 17- and/or 20-positions, hydroxyl, ether or acyloxy groups may be present, for example, in the 3-, 6-, 11-, 21- or 17-positions, halogen atoms may be present for example at the 6-, 9- and/or l6-positions, hydrocarbon groups may be present for example at the 6,16- and/or l7-positions.

In general, where the starting materials contain aliphatic groups in side chains, e.g. alkyl, aliphatic acyl, alkoxy groups etc., there are one to eight carbon atoms, preferably one to five carbon atoms, in the aliphatic moiety.

The following Examples are given by way of illustration only; unless otherwise stated, previously known compounds were identified by melting point and IR spectra:

EXAMPLE 1 Fluorination of 3-acetoxy-A -cholestene trifluoromethyl hypofluorite.

A solution of the title steroid (2 g.) in CFC], (350 ml.) containing calcium oxide (1 g.) was treated at 78 with a slow stream of CF OF. Excess oxidant was removed by sweeping with nitrogen. The solution was then filtered and the precipitate washed with methylene chloride. The filtrate was washed with aqueous sodium bicarbonate, concentrated to small bulk, and chromatographed on neutral alumina. The first compound eluted was 2a-fluoro-3e-acetoxy 3etrifluoromethoxy-5-cholestane, m.p. 108110, a 26, v 1760 and 1752 cm".

Anal. Calcd.: C, 67.64; H, 9.08; F, 14.17%. Found: C, 67.68; H, 9.10; F, 13.70%.

The second compound eluted was 201. 3e-difluoro-3 e-acetoxy-Sa-cholestane, m.p. l14115, v 1770 and 1750 cm.. the final product eluted was 2a-fluorocholestanone.

Either of the adducts above, on treatment with l percent sodium hydroxide in methanol, gave 2afluorocholestanone. Treatment of the total product mixture obtained from the reaction before chromatography with sodium hydroxide in methanol gave as a single product 2a-fluorocholestanone.

In a similar fashion, 3,l7B-diacetoxyandrost-2,3-ene, on reaction with trifluoromethyl hypofluorite. followed by hydrolysis with sodium hydroxide in methanol, gives 2a-fluoro-7B-hydroxy-5a-androstan-3-one. 3,20-Diacetoxypregn-2,3ene gives 2oz-fluoro-20- hydroxy-Sa-pregnan-S-one. 3B,ZO-diacetoxy-Sa-pregn-20,2l-ene gives SB-hydroxy-21fluoro-5a-pregnan-20-one. (On reaction with chromium trioxide in acetic acid, this compound is converted to the known 21-fluoroprogesterone.) 33,20-diacetoxy-5a-pregn-17,20-ene gives SB-hydroxy-l 7a-fiuoro-5a-pregnan-20-one.

with

313,17-diacetoxy-5a-androst-16,17-ene gives 3,8- hydroxyl 6-fluoro-5a-androstanl 7-one.

EXAMPLE2 Fluorination of 3-methoxy-A -cholestene with trifluoromethyl hypofluorite A solution of the title steroid (300 mg.) in CFCl (200 ml.) containing calcium oxide (0.6 g.) was treated with an excess of CF OF as in Example 1. After filtration and washing of the precipitate with methylene chloride the total crude product was shaken with saturated sodium bicarbonate, dried over anhydrous sodium sulphate, and evaporated to small bulk. Crystallization from hexane gave 2a-fluorocholestanone in 70 percent yield.

EXAMPLE 3 Fluorination of cholestan-3-one pyrrolidine enamine with trifluoromethyl hypofluorite A solution of the title steroid (1 g.) in CFCl (200 ml.) containing calcium oxide (200 mg.) was treated with CF OF as in Example 1. After filtration, washing of the precipitate with methylene chloride, washing the combined filtrates with aqueous sodium bicarbonate, drying and concentrating in vacuo the crude product was taken up in benzene/light petroleum (1:1) and filtered through magnesium silicate. The filtrate was hexane to afford Za-fluorocholestanone.

EXAMPLE 4 Reaction of 3-acetoxy-A -cholestene with 2-fluoroxy perfluoropropane A solution of the title steroid (645 mg.) in dry CF C1 (65 ml.) containing calcium oxide (350 mg.) was treated at 78 with an excess of 2-fluoroxy perfluoropropane. After one hour, the solvent was removed at low temperature. After filtration, washing of the precipitate with methylene chloride, washing the combined filtrates with aqueous sodium bicarbonate, drying and concentrating in vacuo the residue was chromatographed on alumina. The first compound eluted was 2a-fluoro-3s-perfluoroisopropoxy-3eacetoxycholestane, m.p. 7778, v 1760, 1200, 1035,980, and 736 cm.

Anal. Calcd. for C H O F C, 60.74; H, 7.65; F, 24.02%. Found: C, 60.94; H, 7.51; F, 24.33%. This compound, on hydrolysis with sodium hydroxide in methanol, afforded 2a-fluorocholestanone.

The second compound eluted from the column was 2a-fluorocholestanone.

EXAMPLE 5 F luorination of 3-methoxy-17-acetoxy-A -androstadiene with trifluoromethyl hypofluorite A solution of the title steroid (1.72 g.) in dry CF C1 (300 ml.) containing calcium (0.5 g.) was treated at 78 with 1 mole of CF OF. After one hour at this temperature, the reaction mixture was filtered, the precipitate washed with methylene chloride, the combined filtrates washed with aqueous sodium bicarbonate, dried and concentrated in vacuo and the residue chromatographed on alumina. The products obtained were, in order of elution, 4-fluorotestosterone acetate, 6B-fluorotestosterone acetate, and a mixture of 6a-fluorotestosterone acetate and testosterone acetate.

EXAMPLE 6 Fluorination of 3,17-diacetoxy-A -androstadiene with trifluoromethyl hypofluorite The title steroid (940 mg.) in CFCl ml.) containing calcium oxide was treated with CF OF (1.5 equivalents). After filtration, washing of the precipitate with methylene chloride, washing the combined filtrates with aqueous sodium bicarbonate, drying and concentrating in vacuo, the product mixture was chromatographed on alumina to afford the adduct 5efluoro-6B-fluoro-A "-androstene-3,17-diol diacetate, m.p. 173l77, v,,,,,, 1745 and 1760 cm. Anal. Calcd. for C H F O C, 67.32; H, 7.80; F, 9.27% Found: C, 67.2; H, 7.77; F, 9.12%.

Further elution gave 6B-fluorotestosterone acetate followed by 6a-fluorotestosterone acetate. Work-up of the crude reaction mixture described above by hydrolysis with sodium hydroxide in methanol (1 percent), followed by reacetylation and equilibration with hydrogen chloride in chloroform gave as a major product 60:- fluorotestosterone acetate.

mmsl 00123 EXAMPLE 7 Fluorination of 313,20-diacetoxy-5a-preg-20,2l-ene with trifluoromethyl hypofluorite The title steroid (400 mg.) in CFCl (25cc) containing calcium oxide (100 mg.) was treated at 78 with an excess of CF OF. After filtration, washing of the precipitate with methylene chloride, washing the combined filtrates with aqueous sodium bicarbonate, drying and concentrating in vacuo, the crude product was hydrolyzed with sodium hydroxide in methanol (1 percent) to afford 3B-acetoxy-2l-fluoro-Sa-pregnane-ZO- one, a new compound.

EXAMPLE 8 Fluorination of 30:,1 1,2013-triacetoxy-5B-preg-9,1 l-ene with trifluoromethyl hypofluorite The title steroid (460 mg.) dissolved in CFCl (160 cc.) and methylene chloride (80 cc.) containing calcium oxide (200 mg.) was treated with trifluoromethyl hypofluorite (two portions of 36 cc.). After two hours at 7 8, the excess fluorinating agent was removed with nitrogen. After filtration, washing of the precipitate with methylene chloride, washing the combined filtrates with aqueous sodium bicarbonate, drying and concentrating in vacuo, the crude product was treated for one hour with sodium hydroxide in methanol (30 cc., 1 percent) and diluted with water and saturated salt. The crude product was removed by filtration,

' chromatographed on alumina, and recrystallized from ether to give 3a,2OB-dihydroxy-9a-fluoro-5B-pregnanl l-one 20-acetate, which was hydrolyzed with sodium hydroxide in methanol and oxidized with chromium trioxide in acetone to give 9a-fluoro-5/3-pregnan- 3,11,20-trione.

The mother liquors obtained from the crystallization of the monoacetate above were saponified with sodium hydroxide. The resulting product was oxidized with chromium trioxide in acetone to afford 9,l2-difluoro- 7B-pregnan-3,ll,20-trione. In a similar fashion, the A -enol acetate of prednisone bismethylene dioxide (formed by reaction of prednisone bismethylene dioxide with triphenylmethyl sodium and acetyl chloride or acetic anhydride) gave a mixture of 9afluoroprednisone bismethylene dioxide and 901,12- difluoroprednisone bismethylene dioxide.M.p.279 280[a]+25 Similarly, l6B-methylprednisone bismethylene dioxide gave a mixture of 9a-fluoro-l6fimethylprednisone bismethylene dioxide and 904,12- difluoro-MIR-methylprednisone bismethylene dioxide. All these compounds are new.

The yield of 9oz,l2-difluor0 steroid is higher when the hypofluorite used is perfluoroisopropyl hypofluorite and may be increased still further by using perfluorotertiarypentyl hypofluorite.

EXAMPLE 9 Fluorination of 3,B-acetoxy-A -pregnen-20-one with trifluoromethyl hypofluorite The title steroid (410 mg.) in CFCl (60 cc.) containing calcium oxide 1.2 g.) was treated with an excess of CF OF. After filtration, washing of the precipitate with methylene chloride, washing the combined filtrates with aqueous sodium bicarbonate, drying and concentrating in vacuo, the crude product was chromatographedon alumina to afford, after crystallization from ether, the adduct 3B-acetoxy-Son-trifluoromethoxy-6afluoropregnan-20-one, m.p. l82, v,,,,,, 1740 and 1720 cm.

Anal. Calcd. for C H O F C, 62.32; H, 7.41; F, l 6.43%

Found: C, 62.26; H, 7.32; F, 16.38%.

This adduct on saponification with sodium hydroxide, followed by oxidation with chromium trioxide and refluxing with potassium acetate in methanol, gave the known 6a-fluoroprogesterone.

EXAMPLE 10 Reaction of testosterone acetate with trifluoromethyl hypofluorite The title steroid (1.65 g.) dissolved in dry CFCl (300 ml.) containing calcium oxide (0.5 g.) was treated at 78 with CF OF until starting material was no longer evident. After filtration, washing of the precipitate with methylene chloride, washing the combined filtrates with aqueous sodium bicarbonate, drying and concentrating in vacuo, the crude product was chromatographed on alumina to afford 4- fluorotestosterone acetate.

EXAMPLE l1 Fluorination of the pyrrolidine enamine from testosterone acetate with trifluoromethyl hypofluorite The title steroid (1.8 g.) in CFCl (300 cc.) containing calcium oxide (0.5 g.) was treated with CF OF (210 cc.) for one hour. After filtration, washing of the precipitate with methylene chloride, washing the combined filtrates with aqueous sodium bicarbonate, drying and concentrating in vacuo the residue was chromatographed on alumina. The first material eluted was the major product, 4-fluorotestosterone acetate, followed by smaller amounts of polar impurities.

EXAMPLE l2 EXAMPLE l3 Fluorination of A -androstene-3 l 7-dione trifluoromethyl hypofluorite The title steroid dissolved in Freon containing calcium oxide was treated with CF OF. After filtration, washing of the precipitate with methylene chloride, washing the combined filtrates with aqueous sodium bicarbonate, drying and concentrating in vacuo 6- fiuoro-A -androstene-3, l 7-dione was obtained.

EXAMPLE 14 Fluorination of 16-Methylene Prednisone-Z l-Acetate ether with with A solution of the title steroid (1 g.) in chloroform (100 cc.) containing calcium oxide (0.3 g.) and maintained at 7 8 was treated with CF OF (150 cc.). Following the work-up procedure of Example 1 chromatography on aluminum afforded as the major product 1 6-fluoromethyl- 16,l7-epoxy-prednisone-21- acetate, melting point 176-7 [01]" 187. keto-a-25 R-spirostane was obtained.

EXAMPLE 15 Fluorination of A-androsten-3B,17B-diol diacetate A solution of the title compound (2.07 g.) in CFCl (250 ml.) was treated with CF OF (230 ml.) in the presence of calcium oxide (0.5 g.) at -78 for 2 hours. After filtration, washing of the precipitate with methylene chloride, washing the combined filtrates with aqueous sodium bicarbonate, drying and concentrating in vacuo the crude product was dissolved in methanol and potassium hydroxide (50 ml., percent). After storage of the reaction mixture overnight at room temperature, the solvent was removed under vacuum, water added and the product isolated with ether and crystallized from acetone/hexane to afford 4a-fluoro-5a-trifluoromethoxyandrostan-3B, l 7fi-diol, m.p. 190-192. On acetylation using acetic anhydride and pyridine at room temperature, this compound formed a crystalline diacetate, 4a-fluor0-5a-trifluoromethoxyandrostan-ISBJ 7B-diol diacetate, m.p. 206-207.

Anal. Calcd. for C ,,H O F4 C, 60.30; H, 7.17: F, 15.90%. Found: C, 60.44; H, 7.33: F, 15.73%.

EXAMPLE 16 Reaction of A -rockogenin with CF OF A -Rockogenin (2.0 g.) was dissolved in freon/methylene chloride (400 ml., 1:1) in the presence of CaO (800 mg.) and treatment with excess CF OF (disappearance of starting material on t.l.c.) diluted with nitrogen at 7 8. The reaction mixture was filtered into aq. NaHCO (250 ml., 5 percent) and the products extracted with CH Cl in the usual way. The total crude product was treated with MeOH (250 ml.) and K CO (12 g.) in 11 0 (30 ml.) on a steam-bath for 30 min. After filtration, washing of the precipitate with methylene chloride, washing the combined filtrates with aqueous sodium bicarbonate, drying and concentrating in vacuo a mixture of products (2.19 9.) was obtained. This was chromatographed over neutral alumina (160 g., grade 3). The major fraction (1.183 g.), eluted with 30% Et O/OH, was 11a-f1uoro-9atrifluoromethoxy-Sa, 25R-spirostan-3/3,l2B-diol (A). The analytical specimen obtained after four recrystallizations from CH Cl /C H /Et O had m.p. l29133 C; [a] '3 -51.8 (c 3.92); LR. v 3 3700 (m), 3500 (w), 1725 (uw), 1650 (vw), 1260-1120 (s) Anal. C ,,H F O requires C, 62.91; H, 7.92; F, 14.22; 0, 14.96%. Found: C, 63.08; H, 7.74; F, 14.44%.

The minor product (296 mg.) was 901,1 la-difluoro- 5a,25R-spirostan-3B-lZB-diol (B). Crystallization from CH Cl lhexane ultimately gave the analytical specimen,.m.p. 232-235C.; [01],,3 59.0 (c 3.58); I.R. v,,,,,, 3500 (s) and 1640 (W) cm".

Anal. C I-1 F 0 requires: C, 69.20; H, 9.04; F, 8.1 1; O, 13.66%. Found: C, 69.04; H, 9.1 1; F, 8.01%.

A. (705 mg.) was dissolved in acetone (10 ml.) and titrated with Jones reagent. The reaction mixture was poured onto ice/H O (350 g.) and the solid product (664 mg.) filtered off. Crystallization from CH Cl /h exane gave pure 11yz-fluoro-9a-trifluoromethoxy-5a ,25R-spirostan-12Brol-3-one(C). The analytical specimen had m.p. 199200C.; [a] '340.4 (c 4.31); [.R. v f 3500 (m), 1710 (s), 1240, 1190, 1140 (us) cm.

Anal. C H F 0 requires C, 63.15; H, 7.57; F, 14.27; 0, 15.02%. Found: C, 63.27; H, 7.62; F, 14.09.

C. (300 mg.) was dissolved in acetone (60 ml.) and treated with Jones reagent (3.0 ml.) at 5C overnight. The usual work-up (vide supra) gave 179 mg. of crude product, crystallized from CH Cl /hexane to give 1 1afluoro-9a-trifluoromethoxy-5 a,25R-spirostan-3 l 2- dione (D) (146 mg.). The analytical sample had m.p. 193195C; [a] 37.3 (c 4.61); 1.R. v 1750(s), 1720 (s), 1250, 1190, 1160 (us) cm.

Anal. C H F O requires: C, 63.39; H, 7.22; F, 14.32; 0, 15.02%. Found: C, 63.56; H, 6.82; F, 14.05%.

D. (50 mg.) was treated with MeOH (30 ml.) and KOAc (300 mg.) under reflux for 3% hr. Removal of solvent and trituration with water gave ll-fluoro-Sa ,25R-spirost-9( 1 l)-en-3,12-dione (48 mg.). Three crystallizations from CH Cl /hexane gave the analytical specimen, m.p. 256257C, [a] 3l 1.9 (c 3.19); I.R. f 1715 (s), 1685 (us), 1600 (w) cm".

Anal. C H FO requires C, 72.95; H, 8.39; F, 4.27; O, 14.40%. Found: C, 72.95; H, 8.47; F, 4.32%.

The 3,12-acetate of the lla-hydroxy epimer of A 1 l )-rockogenin on reaction with CF OF gave products analogous to and isomeric with A and B. The constitution of these products was determined by hydrolysis followed by oxidation to give the 3,12-diketones such as D. All the products of this example are new compounds.

EXAMPLE 17 F luorination of 2,6-dimethyl phenol A solution of the title compound (0.53 g.) in dry freon (200 ml.) containing calcium oxide (1 g.) was treated with a molecular equivalent of CF OF at 7 8. The solution was filtered the precipitate was washed with methylene chloride and the combined filtrates were washed with aqueous sodium bicarbonate, dried, concentrated in vacuo and chromatographed on silica gel. Elution with chloroform/benzene gave the dimer of 2,6-dimethyl, 6-fluoro cyclo hexa, 2,4-dienone, melting point 18l183.

EXAMPLE 18 F luorination of N-acetyl B-naphthylamine A solution of the title compound (0.543 g.) in chloroform ml.) and freon (100 ml.) containing calcium oxide (1 g.) was treated with a molecular proportion of CF OF at 7 8. After working up as in Example 1 the residue was recrystallized from ether/petroleum ether to give a-fluoro N-acetyl B- naphthylamine, melting point -12 1.

EXAMPLE 19 F luorination of N-acetyl a-naphthylamine refluxing methanol lead to the elimination of the ele-' ments of ethanol and trifluoromethanol leading to N- acetyl, l-amino, 2,4-difluoronaphthylamine, melting point 180l82.

EXAMPLE 20 Fluorination of Salicylic Acid A solution of the title compound (0.6 g.) in a mixture of chloroform (100 ml.) and freon (1 50 ml.) containing calcium oxide (1.2 g.) was treated at with a stream of CF OF until starting material was no longer present (approximately 4 moles of hypofluorite were required). After working up as in Example 1 the residue was crystallized to give S-fiuoro salicylic acid. Fluorine nuclear magnetic resonance spectrum indicated that S-fluoro and 3-fluoro salicylic acid were formed in the reaction in a proportion of approximately 4:1. Reaction of salicylamide under the same conditions afforded a mixture of 5-fluoroand 3-fluoro salicylamide.

EXAMPLE 21 F luorination of 2,3-benzofuran with CF OF A solution of the title compound (2 g.) in freon (150 ml.) was treated with a slight excess of CF OF in the presence of calcium oxide (0.5 g.).at 70. After working up as in Example 1 the crude oil which comprised a major and minor product was dissolved and chromatographed on silica gel. The first and major product eluted from the column was 2-fluoro, 3-trifluoro methoxy, 2,3-dihydro benzofuran. Hydrolysis of this compound with sodium hydroxide in methanol gave 3- trifluoro methoxy benzofuran. The minor product from the reaction was 2,3-difluoro-2,3-dihydro benzofuran. Hydrolysis of this product as above gave 3-fluoro benzofuran.

EXAMPLE 22 Fluorination of pregna-4,9( l l )-diene-3-onel7a,20,20,2 l bismethylene-dioxide with CF 0 The title compound (1.93 g.) in a mixture of freon (288 ml.) and Cl-lCl (58 ml.) was treated with a molecular proportion of CF OF at 78 in the presence of calcium oxide (500 mg.). After the usual work up the crude reaction product was partially purified by chromatography on aluminum oxide. Fractions containing the major product were further purified by thick layer chromatography to afford 19-nor-llafluoro-9a-methyl-pregna-l ,3,5( l0)-triene-3-oll 7 a,20,20,2l-bismethylene-dioxide, melting point 109-112 [01],, 39.8. The 3-acetate had melting point 147-148.

EXAMPLE 23 Reaction of trans-stilbene with CF OF The title compound (0.5 g.) in chloroform (100 ml.) and freon (150 ml.) was treated with 2 molecular proportions of CF 0 at 78 in the presence of calcium oxide (0.5 g.). After the usual work up chromatography on silica gel afforded first l,2-diphenyl-l-fluoro- Z-trifluoromethoxy-ethane as a yellow oil (structure confirmed by N.M.R. and mass spectroscopy). Further elution afforded 1,2-difiuoro-l ,2-diphenyl-ethane, melting point 99. Some fractions of the former compound were contaminated with traces l,2-difluoro-1,2- diphenyl- 1 trifluorornethoxy-ethane.

EXAMPLE 24 Fluorination of ll-oxo dexamethasone 1,3,5-triene- 3-yl benzoate l7,20;20,21-bismethylene dioxide with CF OF The title compound (500 mg. prepared by reaction of ll-oxo dexamethasone 17,20;20,2l-bismethylene dioxide with trityl lithium followed by treatment with benzoic anhydride) dissolved in a mixture of freon (65 cc.) and methylene chloride (35 cc.) containing calcium oxide (200 mg.) was treated with CF OF (1.2 equivalents) at 78 for 1 hour. After filtration washing of the precipitate with methylene chloride, washing the combined filtrates with aqueous sodium bicarbonate, drying and concentrating in vacuo treatment of the crude product mixture with methanol afforded 6B- fluoro dexamethasone l7,20;20,2l-bismethylene dioxide (melting point 221). AmaxMEOH methanol 233 my. (6 16,400). The 1,3,5-triene-3-yl-benzoate of prednisone-17,20,20,2l-bismethylene dioxide on reaction as above afforded 6B-fluoro prednisone- 17,20,20,2 1 bismethylene dioxide.

EXAMPLE 25 Fluorination of naphthalene with CF 0F A solution of naphthalene (0.5 g.) in freon (200 cc.) containing calcium oxide (1 g.) was treated at 78 with CF OF (2 moles). After filtration, washing of the precipitate with methylene chloride, washing the com bined filtrates with aqueous sodium bicarbonate, drying and concentrating in vacuo, the crude product mixture was resolved by chromatography on alumina. The first product eluted was an adduct of naphthalene with 2 moles of CF OF (melting point 73). The second product eluted was an adduct formed by the addition of the elements of CF OF to the 1,2-double bond and the elements of F to the 3,4-double bond of naphthalene (melting point 9699). The final product eluted was an adduct formed by the addition of the elements of F 2 to both the 1,2 and 3,4-double bonds of naphthalene, that is, l,2,3,4-tetrafluoro l,2,3,4-tetrahydro naphthalene (melting point l26l28). Treatment of any of these hydroaromatic products with potassium tertiary-butoxide in tertiary-butyl alcohol led to dehydro halogenation and the formation of the appropriate and expected fluorinated naphthalene derivatlves.

EXAMPLE 26 Fluorination of griseofulvin with CF 0F A solution of griseofulvin (0.5 g.) in a mixture of chloroform (100 cc.) and freon (100 cc.) containing calcium oxide (1.0 g.) was treated with CF OF (l mole) and after filtration, washing of the precipitate with methylene chloride, washing the combined filtrates with aqueous sodium bicarbonate, drying and concentrating in vacuo the product mixture was resolved by thick layer chromatography (silica gel plates eluted with benzene/chloroform/acetone in a ratio of 505021) and was found to be mostly a monofluorinated derivative together with smaller amounts of unreacted starting material. The monofluorinated product (a pale soluble liquid) was shown by N.M.R. spectroscopy to be the result of the replacement of the 5hydrogen of griseofulvin with a fluorine atom. A second and minor product was a difluorinated derivative, melting point 9294, in which both the aromatic and enolic hydrogens had been replaced by fluorine atoms.

EXAMPLE 2 7 Fluorination of cis-stilbene with CF OF The title compound when treated with CF OF exactly as described for the trans-isomer in Example 23 gave analogous but isomeric products. Dehydrohalogenation experiments (potassium tertiarybutoxide in tertiary-butyl alcohol at room temperature for 3 days) indicated that the addition of CF OF (and of F to either isomer of stilbene proceeded in a cis fashion.

EXAMPLE 28 F luorination of 3,4,6-tri-O-acetyl-D-glucal with CF F A solution of the title compound (1 g.) in freon (190 cc.) containing calcium oxide (500 mg.) was treated with CF OF at 78. After filtration,washing of the precipitate with methylene chloride, washing the combined filtrates with aqueous sodium bicarbonate, drying and concentrating in vacuo, a mixture of the isomeric forms of 2-fluoro, 2-desoxy-l-trifluoromethoxy- 3,4,6-tri-o-acetyl-D-glucal and 1,2-difluoro-2-desoxy- 3,4,6-tri-o-acetyl-D-glucal was obtained. The crude product mixture on reaction with boron-tri-fluoride in methanol afforded a and B-anomers of 2-desoxy-2- fluoro-3,4,6-tri-o-Acetyl-Methyl-D-glucoside.

EXAMPLE 29 Fluorination of bis-p-chloro-phenyl 2,2-dichloro ethylene with CF 0F A solution of the title compound (2.03 g.) in freon (200 cc.) maintained at 20 was treated with CF OF (542 cc. added over 90 minutes). After a further 3.5 hours the reaction mixture was worked up by filtration washing of the precipitate with methylene chloride, washing the combined filtrates with aqueous sodium bicarbonate, drying and concentrating in vacuo and the crude product purified by chromatography on alumina to afford bis-para-chloro-phenyl 2,2-dichloro-2-fluorol-trifluoro methoxy ethane (melting point 525 3).

A minor product formed in the above reaction was bisparachlorophenyl-2,2-dichlorol ,2-difluoroethane, melting point 62-63.

EXAMPLE 3O Fluorination of 3,3ethylenedioxy-5B-pregn-9"-enel7,20,20,2 1 bis-methylenedioxide-l l-yl-benzoate with CF OF A solution of the titled steroid (500 mg.) in a mixture of methylene chloride (75 cc.) and freon (75 cc.) containing calcium oxide (200 mg.) was treated at 78 with CF OF until starting material was no longer in evidence (approximately 2 moles). After filtration washing of the precipitate with methylene chloride, washing the combined filtrates with aqueous sodium bicarbonate, drying and concentrating in vacuo the crude product which comprised a mixture of mono and difluorinated adducts together with the corresponding mono and difluorinated ketones was chromatographed on aluminum oxide. The first material eluted from the column was an adduct of the 9a-monofluoro ketone and afforded the latter compound on hydrolysis.

EXAMPLE 31 Fluorination of N-acetyl Iminostilbene A solution of the title compound (2.2 g.) in a mixture of chloroform (50 cc.) and CF C1 (150 cc.) was treated at 78 with 1.5 molecular equivalents of CF OF. P01- lowing the work-up procedure of Example 1 the product mixture was resolved to afford 2 isomers: melting point 103 and melting point 100-l16. in each of the isomers the elements of CF OF had added across the central stilbene double bond. The isomerism apparently results from hindered rotation at the amide center.

EXAMPLE 32 Preparation and Purification of 2-fluoroxy-perfluoropropane (perfluoro iso-propyl hypofluorite) Hexafluoro acetone cc. measured as a gas at 760 millimeters of mercury at 279 Kelvin) was introduced into a reactor maintained at 78 and containing cesium fluoride (29.1 g.). Elemental fluorine was admitted to the reactor (80-85 cc. added in 4 to 5 portions over 40 minutes). The reaction vessel was cooled to 196 centigrade and evacuated to negligible pressure (this step was found to remove an extremely volatile but unreactive impurity and is usually unnecessary). The flask containing cesium fluoride and the crude hypofluorite was allowed to warm to room temperature and the contents were then distilled into an evacuated flask containing water (2 cc. This flask was then cooled to 15 centigrade and the purified hypofluorite distilled into a reservoir at 196. Material thus prepared and purified was adequate for the purposes of fluorination of organic compounds: such material was used for the fluorination of cholestenol acetate as described in Example 1. Reaction of this hypofluorite with several other substrates gave products similar to those obtained with CF OF, thus, for instance, prednisone l7,20,20,2l-bismethylene dioxide on treatment with perfluoro-isopropyl hypofluorite afforded primarily 9a-fluoro prednisone; M -hydro cortisone l7,20,20,2l-bismethylene dioxide afforded largely the same phenol as obtained from reaction with CF OF. It appears that perfluoro isopropyl hypofluorite is unstable as fairly large excesses were necessary in order to lead the above reactions to completion.

EXAMPLE 3 3 Preparation of 2-fluoroxy-2-perfluoromethyl-perfluorobutane (perfluoro tertiary-amyl hypofluorite) 2-Hydroxy-2-perfluoromethyl-perfluorobutane (0.826 cc. density 1.7 g. per cc.) was added to a mixture of cesium carbonate (630 mg.) and cesium fluoride (2.4 g.). This mixture was maintained at 78 while fluorine (82 cc.) was delivered in portions (if necessary at this stage it was possible to remove volatile but non reactive impurities be evacuation at --70). The crude hypofluorite was then distilled into a flask containing water (2 cc.). After contact with the water at room temperature the purified hypofluorite was distilled at -l5C. into a storage reservoir held at low temperature. This tertiary hypofluorite had the expected infrared spectrum, liberated iodine from KI, and reacted with cholestenol acetate to afford 2a-fluoro ysis afiorded the former compound.

EXAMPLE 34 Continuous preparation of CF OF and its use as fluorinating agent A monel reactor was charged with silver plated copper ribbon (approximately 0.01 g. silver per square centimeter of copper surface). The reactor was treated first at room temperature with fluorine diluted with nitrogen followed by undiluted fluorine. The temperature of the reactor was then raised slowly to 180 centigrade. Passage of fluorine was continued until the effluent gases gave a strongly positive test with starch iodide paper. This process serves to convert the silver deposited on the copper support to the argentic fluoride which serves as a catalyst.

A stream of carbon monoxide and a stream of fluorine diluted with nitrogen was passed into a reactor containing argentic fluoride supported on copper ribbon as described above. The temperature of the reactor was maintained from l60l 80 centigrade and the ratio of the feed gases was controlled so that the proportion of fluorine to carbon monoxide did not exceed 4:1. Furthermore, the gas flow to the reactor was adjusted so that no unreacted fluorine appeared in the effluent gases. The effluent gases were led via a passivated copper tube into the bottom of a polytetrafluoroethylene washing bottle which was charged with water and baffled with polytetrafluoroethylene turnings. Provision was made for the introduction of fresh water and the removal of the purified effluent gases at the top of the washing bottle. Provision was also made for the removal of water charged with HF and CO from the bottom of the wash bottle. The purified gas stream containing CF contaminated with bis-trifluoromethyl peroxide, tetrafluoromethane, CO and mixed with nitrogen was led from the wash bottle first through a sodium fluoride trap then through a cold trap maintained at 20 to r x'mat l ercent: thus, or exam le, artiall uiifi e ci= oF as described above re cted with cholestenol acetate as described in Example 1 to give after hydrolysis 2 a-fluoro cholestanone; with prednisone bismethylene dioxide enol benzoate as described in Example 22 to give after hydrolysis 9afluoro prednisone bismethylene dioxide; with bis-pchloro-phenyl 2,2-dichloro-ethylene as described in Example 29 to give bis-p-chloro-phenyl-2,2-dichloro-2- fluorol trifluoro methoxy ethane.

We claim:

1. A process for the electrophilic fluorination of an unsaturated steroid which comprises contacting the steroid in the liquid phase with a hypofluorite in which the fluoroxy group is covalently bonded to an inert electron attracting group.

2. A process as claimed in claim 1 in which the hypofluorite is fluoroalkyl hypofluorite or pentafluorosulphur hypofluorite.

3. A process as claimed in claim 1 in which the hypofluorite is trifluoromethyl hypofluorite.

4. A process as claimed in claim 1 in which the fluorination is effected at a temperature in the range 0 tol00C.

5. A process as claimed in claim 1 in which the fluorination is carried out in the presence of a base.

6. A process as claimed in claim 1 in which the steroid is an l1-acyloxy-9,l l-dehydrosteroid and the end product is a 9a-fluoro-ll-keto steroid, in admixture with a 9,12-difluoro-1 l-keto-steroid.

7. A process as claimed in claim 1 in which the hypofluorite reagent is produced by reaction of elemental fluorine with an oxygenated carbon derivative, whereby substantially all of the fluorine enters into the reaction, followed by washing the initial products with an aqueous medium and removing the water from the washed products.

8. A process as claimed in claim 7 in which the oxygenated carbon derivative is selected from the group consisting of methanol, perfluoro-t-pentanol, perfluoro-t-butanol, carbonyl difluoride, perfluoroacetyl fluoride and hexafluoroacetone.

27 33 UNITED STATES PATENT QTTTC CETEFECATE OF CORECTE P t t N 3,687,943 D t d August 29, 1972 Invent0r(s) Derek H. R. Barton and Robert H. Hesse It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

8-- On the title page, insert in [72] after the inventors w names: -assignors to Research Institute for Medicine and 4 Chemistry Inc. Cambridge, Mass.

Column 24, insert the following claims after claim 8:

9 The process of claim 1 in which the steroid is a l7d-hydroxy-l6-methylene steroid and the end product is a l6, l7-epoxyl6-fluoromethyl steroid. I

10. The process of claim 1 in which the steroid is a 3alkoxy 3-acyl0xy or 3-dialkylamino steroid 3,5-diene.

11.. The process of claim 10 in which the steroid has additionally a 1,2-double bond,

12 The process of claim, 1 in which the hypofluorite is bisfluoroxy difluoro methane.

Signed and sealed this 3rd day of April 1973.v

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD M. FLETCHER,JR. ROBERT GOTTSCHALK Attestlng Officer Commissioner of Patents 

2. A process as claimed in claim 1 in which the hypofluorite is a fluoroalkyl hypofluorite or pentafluorosulphur hypofluorite.
 3. A process as claimed in claim 1 in which the hypofluorite is trifluoromethyl hypofluorite.
 4. A process as claimed in claim 1 in which the fluorination is effected at a temperature in the range 0* to -100*C.
 5. A process as claimed in claim 1 in which the fluorination is carried out in the presence of a base.
 6. A process as claimed in claim 1 in which the steroid is an 11-acyloxy-9,11-dehydrosteroid and the end product is a 9 Alpha -fluoro-11-keto steroid, in admixture with a 9,12-difluoro-11-keto-steroid.
 7. A process as claimed in claim 1 in which the hypofluorite reagent is produced by reaction of elemental fluorine with an oxygenated carbon derivative, whereby substantially all of the fluorine enters into the reaction, followed by washing the initial products with an aqueous medium and removing the water from the washed products.
 8. A process as claimed in claim 7 in which the oxygenated carbon derivative is selected from the group consisting of methanol, perfluoro-t-pentanol, perfluoro-t-butanol, carbonyl difluoride, perfluoroacetyl fluoride and hexafluoroacetone. 